Multiway electric switch



March 8, 1949. E. R. BOOTH 2,453,945

MULTIWAY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Deb. 11, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Q WJ VL March 8, 1949.

E. R. BOOTH MULTIWAY ELECTRIC SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1944 March 8, 1949. E. R. BOOTH MULTIWAY ELECTRIC SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 11, 1944 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 r MULTIWAY ELECTRIC SWITCH Eustace Russell Booth, Staines, England, assignor of one-half to Sydney Marks, Feltham, England Application December 11, 1944, Serial No. 567,548 In Great Britain January 6, 1944 5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches and more particularly to improvements in multi-way switches. The switches of the invention are suitable not only for incorporation in radio receiving and transmission sets but also for any electrical purpose where it is desirable to switch from one circuit to another. The invention has for its object to provide a construction of multi-way switch which is inexpensive and simple to make, exceedingly compact in construction and eflicient in operation. The switch may be in single bank or multi bank form.

An electric switch in accordance with the invention comprises a cylindrical insulating stator provided with a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall each projecting as terminals through the wall, a rotor or a series of rotors fitting within the stator and comprising an insulating disc or discs provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each anchored at one end to the disc and having a second series of contacts the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts in the inner peripheral wall of the stator and the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of peripheral plates on the inner surface of the wall of the stator which pole pieces are connected to a circularly disposed row of terminals extending from the outer surface of the wall of the stator.

In its single bank form the stator is a cap shaped insulating stator provided with a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall each projecting as terminals through the end wall of the cap, the rotor comprises an insulating disc provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each anchored at one end to the disc and connected to a contact on one face of the disc, the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts in the inner peripheral wall of the cap and the contacts on the face of the disc being adapted to contact with angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the end wall of the cap which pole pieces are connected to a circularly disposed row of terminals extending from the outer surface of the end wall of the cap. A spring interposed between the end of the operating spindle and the rotor disc serves to press the rotor disc against the inner end wall of the cap i. e. to hold its face contacts against the pole pieces on the end wall of the cap. The rotor disc while posi tively driven by the spindle is capable of endwise movement under the pressure of the spring to ensure contact with the pole pieces. In both the single bank form and the multi bank form the rotor disc is provided with one or more holes for engagement by pins or a bar extending from the end of the operating spindle which is embraced by a bush adapted to extend within the cylinder and suitably provided with a threaded portion for securing to a wireless panel or the like. To ensure the positioning of the cap or cylinder on the bush there is provided within the bush a C or like spring bearing against the inner surface thereof and acting to press outwardly of the bush shouldered pins disposed say diametrically opposite one another in the bush. In positioning the cap the pins are pressed inward against the action of the C or like spring and under pressure of the spring enter holes or recesses in the wall of the cylinder when the latter is in position. The operating spindle is provided with a position 10- cating means consisting suitably of a pinion or notched member on the end of the spindle and located within a collar on the bush which is formed with a hole or holes to receive a locating ball or balls the collar being embraced by a cirbe pressed outwards by means of springs interposed between the rotor disc and the blades in order to obviate the need for reliance on the inherent springiness of the Contact blades.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of the improved switch shown as a twelve pole three way switch. 2 is a section on the line AA looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 an end view of the operating spindle showing the position locating means. Fig. 5 is a view of the rotation limiting means. Fig. 6 is an elevation partly in section of part of a multi bank switch in accordance with the invention. Fig. 7 is a section on the line B-B of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows while Fig. 8 is a section through the stator and rotor on the line C-C of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 the improved switch comprises a cap shaped stator H provided with a series of angularly disposed contacts l2 on the inner peripheral wall each projecting as terminals 13 through the end wall M of the cap, a rotor fitting within the cap comprising an insulating disc l provided with three angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades "5 each anchored to the disc 15 in slots 11 and connected to contacts IS on the face of the disc I5, the blades l6 contacting with the contacts l2 and the contacts 18 contacting with angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates H! on the inner surface of the end wall of the cap, the pole pieces being connected to a row of terminals 20 (one only of which is visible in Fig. 1) extending from the outer surfaces of the cap. A spring 2! interposed between the operating spindle 22 and the rotor disc I5 serves to press the rotor disc against the inner end wall of the cap 1. e. to hold its face contacts i8 against the pole pieces I9. The rotor disc is provided with a pair of holes 23 for engagement by pins 24 extending from the end of the operating spindle 22 which is embraced by a bush 25 adapted to extend within the cap and suitably provided with a threaded portion for securing to a Wireless panel or the like. The rotor disc [5 while positively driven by the spindle 22 is capable of endwise movement under the pressure of the spring 2| to ensure contact with the pole pieces 19. To ensure the positioning of the cap I I on the bush 25 there is provided within the bush a C or like spring 26 bearing against the inner surface thereof and acting to press outwardly of the bush shouldered pins (not shown) disposed diametrically opposite one another in the bush. pressed inward against the action of the C or like spring 26 and under pressure of the spring enter holes or recesses 23 in the wall of the cap when the latter is in position. The operating spindle 22 is provided with a position locating means consisting of a pinion 29 on the end of the spindle and located within a collar 30 on the bush 25 which is formed with holes 3| to receive locating balls 32 the collar 30 being embraced by a circular blade spring 33 serving to press the ball or balls into the space between the teeth of the pinion 29. Shouldered pins 34 fitting in holes in the collar and acted upon by the spring 33 serves the same purpose. On rotation of the spindle 22 the balls 32 and the pins 34 under the control of the surrounding spring 33 allows rotation through one tooth at a time.

A stop 35 consisting of a notched disc mounted on the pins 24 cooperates with a pin 36 located in a recess in the bush to prevent rotation of the spindle 22 to a greater angle than necessary.

The peripherally extending contact blades l6 may be pressed outwards by means of springs interposed between the rotor disc I5 and the blades in order to obviate the need for reliance on the inherent springiness of the contact blades.

In the multi bank form shown in Figs. 6 to 8, in which the position locating means and the rotor limiting means have been omitted for the sake of clearness, a plurality of rotors l5a spaced by insulating washers 31 is provided, each formed with a slot 23a and mounted on a bar 24a carried by the operating spindle 22a. The contact blades on each rotor 15a are formed as bifurcated blades, one limb lBa contacting with the contacts l2a of the terminals |3a which extend through the peripheral wall of the stator I la and the other limb 18a contacting with angularly spaced arcuate contacts I9a secured on the inner wall of the stator by studs 38 extending through In positioning the cap the pins are 4 the stator at one end and connected to terminals 20a at the other. A cap (not shown) closes the end of the multi bank switch.

I claim:

1. In a multi way electric switch comprising a cylindrical insulating stator, a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of said stator, such contacts projecting as terminals through the wall, angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the wall of the stator, terminals extending from the outer surface of the wall of the stator connected to said pole pieces, a rotor and an operating spindle for the rotor fitting within the stator said rotor comprising an insulating disc, said disc provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades, each of said blades being anchored at one end to the disc, said blades being connected to and presenting a second series of contacts, the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of the stator, the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with said angularly spaced pole pieces the improvement which comprises a spring interposed between the operating spindle and the rotor and arranged to press said second series of contacts on the rotor against the angularly spaced pole pieces.

2. In a single bank multi way electric switch comprising an insulating stator of cap shape presenting an end wall, a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of said stator each of such contacts projecting as terminals through said end wall, angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the end wall of the stator, terminals extending from the outer surface of said end wall connected to said pole pieces, the improvement which comprises a rotor and an operating spindle for the rotor fitting within the stator said rotor comprising an insulating disc, said disc being provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each of said blades being anchored at one end to the disc, said blades being connected to and presenting a second series of contacts, the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of the stator and the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with said angularly spaced pole pieces, and a spring interposed between the operating spindle and the rotor serving to press said second series of contacts on the rotor against the angularly spaced pole pieces.

3. In a multi way electric switch comprising a cylindrical insulating stator, a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of said stator, such contacts projecting as terminals through the wall, angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the Wall of the stator, terminals extending from the outer surface of the wall of the stator connected to said pole pieces, the improvement which comprises a rotor and an operating spindle for the rotor fitting within the stator said rotor comprising an insulating disc, said disc provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each of said blades anchored at one end to the disc, said blades being connected to and presenting a second series of contacts, the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of the stator and the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with said angularly spaced pole pieces, a bush extending within the stator and embracing the operating spindle, and means for securing the stator to the bush said means comprising shouldered pins slidable radially Within the bush and a spring bearing adjacent the inner surface of the bush and acting to press said pins into engagement with apertures in the stator.

4. In a single bank multi way electric switch comprising an insulating stator of cap shape presenting an end wall, a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral Wall of said stator each of such contacts projecting as terminals through said end Wall, angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the end wall of the stator, terminals extending from the outer surface of said end Wall connected to said pole pieces, the improvement which comprises a rotor and an operating spindle for the rotor fitting Within the stator said rotor comprising an insulating disc, said disc provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each or said blades anchored at one end to the disc, said blades being connected to and presenting a second series of contacts, the blades being adapted to contact with the circularly disposed contacts in the inner peripheral wall of the stator and the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with said angularly spaced pole pieces, a spring interposed between the operating spindle and the rotor serving to press said second series of contacts on the rotor against the angularly spaced pole pieces, a bush extending within the cap and embracing the operating spindle, and means for securing the cap to the bush said means comprising shouldered pins slidable radially within the bush and a spring bearing adjacent the inner surface of the bush and acting to press said pins into engagement with apertures in the cap.

5. In a single bank multi way electric switch comprising an insulating stator of cap shape presenting an end wall, a series of circularly disposed contacts on the inner peripheral wall of said stator each of such contacts projecting as terminals through said end wall, angularly spaced pole pieces in the form of plates on the inner surface of the end wall of the stator, terminals extending from the outer surface of said end wall connected to said pole pieces, the improvement which comprises a rotor and an operating spindle for the rotor fitting within the stator said rotor comprising an insulating disc, said disc provided with a series of angularly spaced peripherally extending contact blades each of said blades anchored at one end to the disc, said blades being connected to and presenting a second series of contacts the blades being adapted to contact with the circulariy disposed contacts in the inner peripheral Wall of the stator and the second series of contacts being adapted to contact with said angularly spaced pole pieces, a spring interposed between the operating spindle and the rotor serving to press the rotor against the angularly spaced pole pieces, position locating means for the operating spindle comprising a notched member on the operating spindle, a bush extending within the stator and embracing the operating spindle a collar on the bush said collar formed with holes to receive a ball engageable within the notched member, and a spring embracing the collar and serving to press the ball into the notched member.

EUSTACE RUSSELL BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,577,572 Forder Mar. 23, 1926 1,615,450 Grisdale Jan. 25, 1927 1,669,373 Despard May 8, 1928 1,877,860 Hartzell Sept. 20, 1932 2,205,482 Krieger June 25, 1940 2,319,503 Glogau May 18, 1943 

